Device for cleaning surfaces



March 7, 1939. LE BARON B. rJOHNSON 2,149,526

DEVICE FOR CLEANING SURFACES FiledJune so, 1937 I 3 eEa/m Z3. fo/20500,

' of steam admitted to the nozzle and normallyV Patented Mar. 7, 1939 PATENT OFFICE DEVICE FOR CLEANING SURFACES Le Baron B. Johnson, Bronxville, N. Y., assignor to Oakite Products, Inc., a corporation of New York Application June 30, 1937, Serial No. 151,247

1 Claim.

The present invention relates to devices for cleaningsurfaces. More particularly, the invention is concerned with devices for the removal of paints, enamels, lacquers and similar coatings from various surfaces, and with Adevices for the removal of heavy deposits of grease, oil and similar substances. I

It is the primary object of the present invention to construct a device by which coatings of paint, enamels, lacquers or the like can be removed from surfaces and which is also adapted for removing other types of coatings, such as heavy depositsof oil, grease or similar materials, which usually require for their removala mechanism different from that used for the removal of the rst-mentioned substances.

Another object resides in constructing a nozzle or the like which can be modified by a simple adjustment for removing different types of substances.

More specifically, it is an object of the invention to construct avnozzle which automatically 'and accurately controls the supply of steam, hot

water or the like and the supply of cleaning solution or solvent, and the proper mixture of these fluids for a given purpose.

The invention includes for another object the construction of a nozzle whereby an intimate mixture of steam and cleaning solution or solvent is obtained and ejected therefrom upon a surface in the form of a uniform spray which simultaneously covers large areas of said surface.

Another object of the invention resides in designing a. nozzle or the like in such a manner that an excess supply of one fluid automatically cuts off the supply of the other uid.

`A further object of the invention consists in the construction of a nozzle or the like which automatically prevents an undesired atomization of the cleaning solution or solvent when the supply ejected therefrom together with the cleaning solution or solvent exceeds a certain pressure.

Still another object consists in designing a nozzle or the like in which the ow of one liquid through the nozzle is not affected by the flow of the other liquid whereby the two liquids are discharged separately from the nozzle into the atmosphere and whereby one of the liquids is ejected from the nozzle at a high velocity, meets the stream of the other liquid immediately after both liquids have been discharged into the atmosphere and carries said other liquid along without gasifying or unduly atomizing the same. y

Another important feature of the invention relhead portion 6.

sides in arranging the fluid passages within the A nozzle or the like in heat exchange relation whereby the temperature of the cleaning solution or solvent is considerably increased by the heat of the steam while both fluids are travelling through their respective passages within the nozzle.

Still further objects and advantages of the present invention will appear from the following detailed description and the drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a plan view of the nozzle according to the invention;

Fig. 2 is a cross-section of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a front view oi the nozzle; y

Fig. 4 is a cross-section taken along line 4-14 taken along line 2 2 of Fig. 3.

The hollow body 2 of the nozzle comprises a nozzle portion 4 which preferably is made of one piece, for example by casting, and a rear or gun- A steam passage 8 extends through both the nozzle and gun-head portions 4 and B which are secured to each other by a sleeve I Il threaded into the adjacent ends of passage 8 of nozzle portion 4 and passage 8" of rear l portion 6. The adjacent ends of portions 4 and 6 are provided at their outer periphery with gripping surfaces I2 for tightening portions 4 and 6 relative to each other. Steam passage 8' of nozzle portion 4 is enclosed by lateral Walls I4, a top Wall IS and a bottom wall I8. Lateral walls I4 diverge gradually from the forward end 2D of sleeve I toward the rear edge 22 of the eject- ,ing passage or slot 24, While the top and bottom walls I6 and I8 converge from forward end 20 of sleeve IIJ toward rear edge 22. Therefore, ejecting passage 24 is of small height but considerable width and of rectangular cross section. It is made of such length in the axial direction of passage 8 so as to guide the steam which is ejected from the forward end 26 in a sharply dei-med jet of considerable width and high pressure.

Steam passage 8 of the rear or gun-head portion 6 is substantially cylindrical in longitudinal cross-section and terminates at its forward end in sleeve I0 and at its rear end in a solution passage 28, at least the forward end 30 of which is disposed coaxially with passages 8', 8 and which is of considerably smaller diameter than passage 8". A steam inlet passage 32 of a diameter substantially equal to that of passage 8" terminates at one end in passage 8, its longitudinal axis is disposed at an angle of approximately 45 to the axis of passages 8', 8" and its opening into passage 8" is located closely adjacent the opening VAi of solution passage 28 as shown at 34 in Fig. 2. Steam and solution supply pipes 36, 38 of a steam gun (not shown) are secured to the outer ends 40 and 42 respectively of passages 32 and 28 in a fluid-tight manner.

A solution tube 44 is disposed within steam passage 8 coaxially therewith and is removably secured at its rear end to solution passage 28, for example by screw threads 46, while its front end i'lts slidably into a socket 48 secured within passage 8 to top and bottom walls I6 and I8 thereof.

Bottom wall I8 of nozzle portion 4 is provided with a ridge-like projection 58 extending in -a vertical plane coaxially with passage 8' from a point adjacent but at the rear of the longitudinal center of nozzle portion 4 toward the front end thereof where it terminates in a cross piece 52 projecting from the lower wall of steam ejecting passage 24.

Projection 58 is provided with a channel 54 passing through bottom wall |48 and terminating in socket :48 at a point adjacent the bottom V56 thereof and extending 'at rsubstantially a right kangle to theaxis of socket 48. Solution tube 44 is `made of such a length that, when it is tightly screwed into passage 28,' its forward end 158 extends into socket 4S but is spaced a certain dis.'- tance from the bottom 56 vthereof so as to leave free the opening 65 Ainto channel 54. A plug 62 is screwed into the lower Vend of channel 54 for closing the same. A second channel |'64 intersects channel 54 near the lower end thereof and is "closed at its rear end byascrewplug 66. Channel 64 extends within projection 58 and terminates in a cross-cliannel 68 within cross-piece 52, the two vouter ends of which are closed by screw plugsl, 12. A lip- 14 projects from the `forward end 26 of the `nozzle portion 4 extending over the entire width thereof and jforms a -cross-piece 52. Its upper -surifafce 16`is disposed a short Idistance below th'e 4opening of ejection passage 24 and parallel with the plane of the upper and lower walls thereof. A plurality of solution discharge Vpassagesr'l offsnalldiame't'er Vextend from crosschannel Y68 at an a-ngle of approximately 40 to 45 relative to the vertical plane of front end 26, and terminate within the apex of the corner -80 formed bythe 'front end 25 and surface Y'16.

For the removal or stripping of paints, enamels, lacquers land similar 'coatings Vvfrom variousY surfaces, `the 4best results *are obtained by ejecting an intimate mix-ture of steam and cleaning solution or solvent under low pressure against the surfaces to 4be cleaned. On the other hand, for

tion combines the functions of these two different nozzle constructions in a `single convertible construction.

For removing oily or similar deposits from surlfaces, the nozzle is used in theform shown in Fig. v2, that is; withjsolution tube-44 screwed -into so1ution passage '28 Iand extending into socket 48, so that Vthe'cleaningf-solution 'or solvent supplied through pige"'38 o'f'the steam `gun passes through solution tube `'44, "socket 48, channels54 and '64 into cross-channel 68 from which it is sucked up by aspirator action through inclined discharge passages 18 into the current of steam which passes from pipe 36 of the steam gun through passage 8, which includes passages 8 and 8, and is ejected through the ejecting passage 24. The inclination of approximately 40 to 45 of discharge passages 18 relative to the axis of the steam passage 8 serves to prevent. gasifying or undue atomization of the cleaning solution or solvent inasmuch as the solvent is discharged in the general direction of the jet of the steam and the steam acts as the carrier of liquid drops of solvent.

By` arranging the relatively long passage of cleaning solution or solvent within the steam passage and in heat exchange relation therewith, the solvent is automatically raised to a very high .temperature before Vit is intermixed with the steam whereby the cleaning eiciency is considerably increased. y

'-If the nozzle according to the present inven "-tion is intended to be used for removing coatings of paints, enamels, lacquers for similar substances, Tfrom various types'cf surfaces, all that has to be done is shutting off the supply of steam Vand solution, unscrewingthe nozzle portion -4 'from the rear or gun-head portion 6,2ren-1ov-ingV the solution tube 4'4 from the structure and screwing together again Vportions 4 and 6. Now, if the supply of steam and solution is again turned on, the cleaning solution or lsolvent is intimately mixed with the steam within passage 8" and both together are ejected-through ejecting passage 24 in the form of a flat wide'jet of boiling solution of considerable pressure.- Y

In order to. avoid a condition Vin which the steam pressure exceeds a certain limit whereby the cleaning iluidor solvent is gasied or finely atomized and disagreeable or even dangerous `fuines result, and in which condition the cleaning or stripping results become poor, the nozzle ac- Acordin'g *tcl thesinvention has Vbeen so designed `that an. excessofjste'ampressure above a certain Vlimit automatically cutscl the il'owof cleaning solution or solvent. By positioning the solution Yinlet passages 38 in'axial fdirection of the main steam passage 18 vand nozzleopening 24, iand the 'steamv :inlet .passage 32 at an oblique angle thereto, the solution or solvent is intimately mixed with the steam butf'retainsI its liquid form. If, however, the vpressure 'of the steam exceeds a certain limit, afback pressure is built up in passage 8'?, 'and particularly within the Vportion V82 thereof which is not directly hit by the current of steam and .which includes Athe forward openin'gi84wof solution inlet :passage 28. If this back pressure reaches a certain limit equal or V"greater than: the pressure of'fthe inflowing solution -or solvent, it automatically Vcuts off such inflow The operator of the .nozzle will then For cleaning the solution passages of any sediments which may cling to their Walls and gradually restrict or even prevent the flow of solution therethrough, it is only necessary to unscrew plugs 62, 66, 10 and 12, and clean the respective passages with a suitable tool. Since the nozzle and gun-head portions 4 and 6 can be separated and solution tube 44 be removed, the interior surfaces of these parts can be easily cleaned also.

While I have described herein one embodiment of my invention, I wish it to be understood that I do not intend to limit myself thereby except within the scope of the appended claim.

I claim: i

An apparatus for removing different types of coatings from surfaces, comprising a nozzle having a passage therein, said passage having inlet openings at one end thereof for conducting at least two different currents of liquid into said passage, and an outlet opening at the other end of said passage for ejes-ting at least one of said liquids into the atmosphere, a channel separate from said passage and terminating at its rear end into said`passage, a tubular member removably secured at one end toV one of said inlet openings and at the other end to the rear end of said channel, the forward end of said channel being spaced from said outlet opening and being inclined relative to the axis of said passage so that the axes of said forward end and said passage intersect at a point spaced forwardly of said outlet opening, whereby? said liquids are conducted separately through said nozzle and are intermixed after they have been discharged from said nozzle into the atmosphere when said tubular member is secured Within said nozzle, and said liquids are injected through said inlet openings into said passage and intermixed Within said passage and ejected together through said outlet opening when said tubular member is removed from said nozzle.

LE BARON B. JOHNSON. 

